Artists&#39; palette and panel support



May 15, 1956 c. R. WOOD 2,745,202

ARTISTS PALETTE AND PANEL SUPPORT Filed Dec, 22, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l 44 ya 47 INVENTOR ,6. 45 2L Cuales l?. Wco 4a 0 BY L (fw 46 j A ATTORNEYS May 15, 1956 c. R. woon ARTISTS PALETTE AND PANEL SUPPORT Filed DSG. 22. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 56 j j F/E. Z. $012.i i /Z /9 P 'HIM lill' ATTORNEYS May 15, 1956 c. R. wooD ARTISTS PALETTE AND PANEL SUPPORT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 22, 1953 FIL-7, 5

w 3 5 T. N i6 6 NPM. E O M Q@ 2f f p ,n Y 5 9 C B 0 1 6 0 9 7 0 Z 7 sa ze 'I United States Patent *O ARTISTS PALETTE AND PANEL SUPPORT Charles R. Wood, New Rochelle, N. Y.

Application December 22, 1953, Serial No. 399,658

6 Claims. (Cl. 415) This invention relates to an artists palette and panel support for retaining the palette and panel in convenient position for use when painting on the panel. Constructions of said character have been termed sketch boxes and include a box for' holding a palette and a panel together with artists supplies such as tubes of pigment, brushes, palette knives and the like. The palette and the panel are retained in fixed position in the box so that when the box is opened the palette and panel are in adjacent relation for use by the artist in producing a painting. Such boxes, however, are relatively large and means must be provided for supporting the same when the artist desires to make use thereof for painting.

The invention has in view an artists palette and panel support which is adapted to be held by one hand of the artist while the other hand is free for painting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction of said character having palette and panel receiving parts which are movable from a collapsed compact relation in which the forward face of the panel is protected, to an expanded or set-up relation for use in which the pallette is disposed in a substantially horizontal relation While the panel is disposed in substantially vertical relation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction of said character having frames for receiving the palette and panel and a support on which said frames are pivoted for swinging movement from superimposed relation to a relation in which the palette and panel are disposed in substantially right angular relation and the panel is located at one side of the palette.

Still another object of the invention is to provide interengageable means carried by the support and the panel frame for holding the panel frame in substantially right angular relation therewith and with means on the palette frame for releasing the aforesaid interengageable means to permit of the swinging of the panel frame into superposed relation with the palette frame.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction of said character in which the support is provided with a thumb-receiving opening for supporting the construction for use.

With the foregoingand other objects in view, refer'- ence is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an artists palette and panel support constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig.- 2 is a top plan View of the support shown in collapsed nested relation. j

Fig. 3 is an underside view thereof.

Fig. 4 is an edge View thereof taken in the direction of the arrows 4-4 with the palette removed and the parts shown in collapsed nested relation.

Fig-5 is an opposite edge View thereof.

Fig. 6 is an edge view thereof taken in the direction of the arrows 6.

Fig. 7 is an opposite edge view thereof.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken from the rear of the panel and with the panel removed showing the latch mechanism aflixed to the support for releasably mounting the panel frame thereon.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary topplan View thereof.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 11-11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken approximately on line 12-12 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 13-13 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 11i-14 of Fig. l.

Fig. l5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 15--15 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken approximately on line 16-16 of Fig. l.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 17-17 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary View similar to Fig. S, showing a modified form of latch mechanism.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view thereof.

Fig. 20 is an enlarged sectional View taken approximately on line 20-20 of Fig. 18.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the palette and panel support includes a thumb plate 1t) having a beveled outer edge 11 and angularly disposed side edges 12 and 13 which subtend substantially an angle of and on which plate a panel receiving frame 15 and a palette receiving frame 16 are mounted for movement from a collapsed superposed relation as shown in Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive of the drawings to an expanded or set-up position for use as shown in Fig. l thereof.

In the set-up position the panel receiving frame 15 is retained in upright relation adjacent the edge 12 of the thumb plate 10 while the palette receiving frame 16 is disposed in horizontal relation adjacent the edge 13 thereof. The thumb plate 10 is provided with a thumb opening 17 for receiving the thumb of one hand of the artist for supporting the device when in use, whereby the palette is available for receiving pigment thereon, and

the panel is supported for convenient use in painting. Before moving the parts into collapsed relation the palette is removed from the palette frame and when in collapsed relation the panel frame and panel are disposed in superposed relation with reference to the palette frame and the face of the panel bearing the painting is protected from being smeared or marred and is readily available for continuing the painting when the device is expanded again for use.

The panel receiving frame 15 is of rectangular formation consisting of a longitudinally extending bottom frame portion 19, opposite side frame portions 2t) and 21 and a top frame portion 22 which have inner and outer rabbeted edges in which are secured longitudinally extending metal channel members 23 and 24. rl`he inner channel members^23 extend continuously about the inner periphery of the frame while the outer channel members 24 extend continuously along the side frame portions 2t) and 21 and the bottom frame portion 19. The top frame portion 22 is provided with angle members 25 secured thereto at the opposite ends thereof which have angulated ends 26 projecting over the ends of the side frame portions 20 and 21. The angulated ends 26 are formed with slots 27 and headed members 28 anchored in the side frame portions' 26 and 21 are provided which project through the slots 27 to permit of upward and lateral movement. of the top frame portion 22 to dispose the same out of the plane of the frame whereby a panel P may be inserted in the channels in the inner member 23 for retaining the panel in position in the frame.

The frame is mounted on the thumb plate 16 for swinging movement from the upstanding position shown in Fig. l to the horizontal position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings and for this purpose the thumb plate 16 is provided with an arm 3l) having an upstanding end 31 formed with a longitudinally extending dovetail rib 32 adapted to engage in the channel members 24 in the side frame portions 2i? and 2l or in the bottom frame portion 19 for mounting the frame 15 on the arm 30. The arm 30 is ahixed to the thumb plate 10 by means of a latch mechanism 35 and at the inner end thereof the arm 3G is connected with the palette frame 16 by means of a ball and socket connection 36.

The ball and socket connection 36 includes a socket member 37 having a spherical cavity 3S and a slot 39 at one side thereof which opens into the spherical cavity 33 and through which slot the inner end of the arm 3) projects. A ball all is aflixed to the inner end thereof and is mounted in the spherical cavity 38 for free turning movement. The socket member 37 is formed with a cylindrical heb portion 41 and a threaded shank 42. The hub portion 41 extends through an annular opening 43 in the palette frame and is seated in a cylindrical recess dal in the upper face of the thumb plate 10. The shank bottom plate i6 and is secured in position therein by a nut 47. "i he bottom plate 46 is secured to the under side of the thumb plate 16 by screws 48 and the palette frame 16 is secured to the socket member 37 by screws 49. Thus the socket member 37 is affixed to one corner of the palette frame 16 while the thumb plate 10 has free turning movement about the hub portion 41 and shank 42 as an axis.

The palette frame 16 is of general rectangular formation and is adapted for receiving a rectangular-shaped palette F in superimposed position thereon and for this purpose, the said frame is provided with upstanding rims 5u on the side frame portions 51 and 52 thereof and with a longitudinally extending upstanding rib 53 on the forward frame portion 54 for receiving the palette F on said frame between the rims 5t) and in abutting engagement with the rib 53. The forward frame portion 54 of the palette frame is provided with a depending longitudinally extending rib S6 which is adapted to snap into a shallow recess 57 in the upper face of the thumb plate 1) for releasably retaining said plate in the set-up position shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The said plate is also provided with an opening 58 for receiving a spring latch 59 aixed to the under side of the palette F for retaining the palette on the palette frame 16 when the thumb plate is in said set-up position with the rib 56 engaged in the recess 57.

The latch mechanism 35 includes a U-shaped saddle 61 aliixed to the upper face of the thumb plate 1t) and having apertured ends 62 through which the arm 3l) extends for turning movement. Afhxed to the arm 36 is a latch housing 63 which is slotted as at 64 for receiving the apertured ends 62 of the saddle 61 and which is formed with a bore 6:5 through which the arm 39 extends. The latch housing 63 is formed with a xed latch 66 and n movable latch 67 is aixed to a cylindrical button 63, The button is mounted for sliding movement in a cylindrical opening 69 in the rear wall of the latch housing with the latch 67 extending upwardly through a top opening 76 therein to dispose the same in adjacent relation to the fixed latch 66. A coiled expansion spring 71 located within the cylindrical button 68 tensions the latch 67 into spaced relation from the fixed latch 66. Depressing the button 68 disposes the latch 67 in abutting engage-- ment with the latch member 66 whereby the latches 66 and 67 may engage in the channel member 24 of the i2 projects freely through an opening 45 in a 4 lower frame member 19, as illustrated in Fig. l and l0 of the drawings for releasably retaining the panel frame 15 on the arm 30.

Constructed in this manner, the thumb plate 10 may be released from engagement with the rib 56 and the plate It@ together with the panel frame 15 and arm 30 swung towards the palette frame 16 with the plate swinging about the stud 44 as a pivot and the arm 30 swinging on the ball and socket connection 36. The side frame member 54 of the palette receiving frame 16 is provided with a notch 72 to receive the latch mechanism 35 whereby the thumb plate 10 will slide below the palette frame 16 and the arm 30 will abut against the lip 53. When in this position, the projecting end 73 of the arm 30 enters a slot '74 in the side frame portion 54 of the palette frame 16 and the panel frame 15 together with the panel P may then be swung downwardly turning the arm 30 in the openings in the saddle 61 to dispose the panel frame i5 and panel in superposed relation on the palette frame 16. In this movement, the arm 30 turns in the ball and socket connection at one end and with the projection 73 turns in the enlarged portion 75 of the slot 74 as shown in Fig. l2. When in this position, the panel frame 15 is maintained in superimposed parallel relation with the pallette frame 16 since the outer end of the arm 30 is maintained in the enlarged portion 75 of the slot 74.

It will be understood that the panel frame 15 may be released from the arm 30 by pressing the button 68 inwardly so as to disengage the latches 66 and 67 from the channel member 24 in the bottom frame portion 19. The panel frame 15 may also be arranged on the arm 30 with the latches 66 and 67 engaging in the channel members 24 of either one of the side frame portions 20 and 21 so as to dispose the length of the panel frame in upwardly extending relation. T he outer channel members 24 are of dovetail formation in cross-section so as to retain the latches 66 and 67 therein against accidental release thereof.

In place of the latch mechanism 35, a latch mechanism 76 may be employed as shown in Figs. 18 to 20 inclusive of the drawings, which is adapted to latch the thumb plate 10 and the panel frame 15 to the arm 30 and to permit of the release thereof for removal of the thumb plate and panel frame. The latch mechanism 76 includes a frame 77 which is atixed to the outer face of the arm 30 by screws 78 and which is formed with a fixed latch 79 arranged on the upper edge of the arm 3l) and projecting upwardly therefrom. Disposed adjacent to the latch 79 is a movable latch 80 which projects upwardly through an opening 81 in the frame 77 and is formed integrally with an annular portion 82 to which a cylindrical button S3 is threadedly secured. The button projects rearwardly through the frame 77 and is tensioned by a coil spring 84 arranged therein so as to normally tension the movable latch in spaced relation from the xed latch 79. The frame 77 is also provided with an arcuate latch S5 which projects forwardly from the under side thereof and is adapted to engage downwardly through a slot 86 in a metal member S7 axed to the upper face of the thumb plate 10 adjacent the edge 12 thereof. This permits of release of the arm 3l) from the thumb plate 10 when the arm is rotated to dispose the panel frame 15 in superposed parallel relation with the palette frame 16.

The thumb receiving opening 17 in the thumb plate 10 is so located that the said plate together with the palette frame and palette with its appurtenances when in use and the panel frame and panel, all supported by the plate, are substantially balanced on the hand of the artist when the thumb engages through the said opening.

Constructed in this manner, there is provided a palette and panel support which may be conveniently held by the artist with the palette and panel arranged for use in producing a painting on the panel and which may be readily collapsed into compact formation for storage in a case together with the artists supplies required in paint- The palette frame 16 may be of thermoplastic material of suicient strength and stiffness to maintain the frame in its form without bending or the same may be of metal, wood or equivalent material.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not solmited but shall cover and include any and all modifications and forms thereof which fall within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. l'n a palette and panel support, a plate having a thumb receiving opening for supporting the same by one hand of a user, an arm extending across the upper face of said plate, a palette frame, a panel frame mounted on said arm for movement therewith, ball and socket means connecting said arm with said palette frame at one corner thereof for arcuate movement of said arm toward and away from one edge of said palette frame and for turning movement from a position in which the panel frame is in upright relation to a position in which the panel frame is disposed in substantially parallel relation with said palette frame, and means pivotally connecting said plate to said palette frame on an axis extending centrally through said ball and socket means for movement of said plate from a position beneath said palette frame to a position at one side thereof.

2. In a palette and panel support, a plate having a thumb receiving opening for supporting the same by one hand of a user, an arm extending across the upper face of said plate, a palette frame, a panel frame mounted on said arm for movement therewith, means connecting said arm with said palette frame at one corner thereof for arcuate movement of said arm toward and away from one edge of said palette frame and for turning movement from a position in which the panel frame is in upright relation to a position in which the panel frame is disposed in substantially parallel relation with said palette frame, means pivotally connecting said plate to said palette frame on an axis extending centrally through said means for `movement of said plate from a position beneath said palette frame to a position projecting outwardly at one side thereof, socket means in said plate in which the outer end of the arm is engaged for movement of the plate to a position beneath said palette frame with the movement of the arm toward said frame, and interengageable means carried by said palette frame and said plate for releasably retaining the plate in said position projecting outwardly at one side of said palette frame.

3. In a palette and panel support, a plate in the form of a sector having a thumb receiving opening for supporting the plate by one hand of a user, a palette frame, a

panel, means connecting said panel with said palette frame at one corner thereof for arcuate movement of the panel toward and away from one edge of said palette frame and for turning movement from a position in which the panel is in upright relation to a position in which the panel is disposed in substantially parallel relation to said palette frame, means pivotally connecting said plate to said palette frame on an axis extending centrally through the aforesaid means for movement of said plate from a position beneath said palette frame to a position projecting outwardlyat one side thereof.

4. In a palette and panel support, a plate in the forni of a triangular shaped sector having a thumb receiving opening for supporting the plate by one hand of a user with the thumb engaging through the opening, an arm extending across the upper face of said plate, interengage able means carried by said arm and plate for releasably securing the arm to the plate adjacent one side edge thereof, a palette frame, means pivotally connecting said palette frame with said plate at one corner thereof for movement of the plate from a position projecting outwardly at the other side of said frame to a position in which the plate is disposed below the frame, a panel frame mounted on said arm, ball and socket means connecting said arm with said palette frame on a vertical axis extending through the pivotal connection of said palette frame with said plate for arcuate movement of said arm toward and away from said palette frame and for turning movement from a position in which the panel frame is in upright relation to a position in which the panel frame is disposed in substantially parallel relatie-n with said palette frame, and interengageable means carried by said palette frame and said plate for releasably retaining the plate in said position projecting outwardly from said palette frame.

5. In a palette and panel support, a plate having a thumb receiving opening for supporting the same by one hand of a user, an arm extending across the upper face of said plate, a palette, a panel mounted on said arm for movement therewith, means connecting said arm with said palette at one corner thereofl for arcuate movement of said arm toward and away from one edge of said palette and for turning movement from a position in which the panel is in upright relation to a position in which the panel is disposed in substantially parallel relation with said palette, and means pivotally connecting said plate with said palette for movement of said plate from a postion beneath said palette to a position projecting outwardly at one side thereof.

6. In a palette and panel support, a plate having a thumb receiving opening for supporting the same by one hand of a user, an arm extending across the upper face of said plate, a palette, a panel mounted on said arm for movement therewith, means connecting said arm with said palette at one comer thereof for arcuate move ment of said arm toward .and away from one edge of said palette and for turning movement from a position in which the panel is in upright relation to a position in which the panel is disposed in substantially parallel relation with said palette, means pivotally connecting said plate with said palette for movement of said plate from a position beneath said palette to a position projecting outwardly at one side thereof, and socket means in said plate in which the outer end of the arm is engaged for movement of the plate to a position beneath said palette with the movement of the arm toward said palette.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,454,709 Douglas May 8, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,120 Great Britain Mar. 30,r 1897 

